A-Level Design Student: Housing Project

Hi everyone,

My name is Mae and I’m a Design and Technology student. For my project this year I decided to design and make housing for a rabbit. I have been on here before as part of my market research and now I am back, asking for feedback on the final product. I have a few questions which I would be very grateful if you could answer as in-depth as possible. The next stage of my project is to think of some modifications so criticism and improvements is welcome!

My house is designed to live in a small-city garden. There are two compartments for day and night. In the day compartment there is a triangle at the top where the acrylic has squares cut out for ventilation. The door is made out of acrylic too and it opens upwards. The night compartment has a tray inside which is for putting the bedding onto so cleaning can be made easier by sliding the tray out an wiping it clean. The back door is smaller as it is only there to remove the tray.

If you could answer as many questions as possible and then also add any additional comments they would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Link to the pictures: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2MKLEcgmYnyRUtOOEh4VWpMbEE

Questions
What do you like about the hutch and why?
Do you find the doors easy to open/can you suggest any improvements?
Do you think the size is good for your garden?
How easy do you think the hutch would be to clean?
How much would you spend on this hutch, would you buy it?
Do you think the hutch is big enough for the rabbit to live in?/ would you keep 1 or 2 rabbits in here?
Do you have any suggestions to improve the security of the hutch?
Any other modifications you can think of?

I'm sorry, that accommodation is much too small for a rabbit. Any rabbit. It looks a bit small for guinea pigs.

I like the atrium. But the design needs to be much simpler. Rabbit houses are rectangular for good reasons - space, easy to clean etc. The tray is a good idea in theory but bits will slip down the sides and back so the area where the tray sits will need to be very easy to access for thorough cleaning.

welcome to the forum, it might be worth you looking on here for recommendations on sizes etc, http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ahutchisnotenough.htm as happybun mentioned above it is too small for a rabbit or guinea pigs

Hi Mae, that is super small, sorry x

What do you like about the hutch and why?

I like the style, however I don't think it is suitable for rabbits.

Do you find the doors easy to open/can you suggest any improvements?

I can't work out where the door is

Do you think the size is good for your garden?

Sadly, the size is too small for rabbits to happily live in. The minimum recommended hutch size for two average sized rabbits is 5 foot long x 2 foot deep x 2 foot 6 inches high - (source is the RSPCA)

How easy do you think the hutch would be to clean?

I like the tray idea but as happybun said, rabbits will move the hay out of the tray or down the sides still.

How much would you spend on this hutch, would you buy it?

I would not purchase it

Do you think the hutch is big enough for the rabbit to live in?/ would you keep 1 or 2 rabbits in here?

No, you couldn't house rabbits or guineas in this.

Do you have any suggestions to improve the security of the hutch?

Not sure

Any other modifications you can think of?

Bigger and with more look out places. It seems very boxy

What do you like about the hutch and why?
It's a cute idea, but too small

Do you find the doors easy to open/can you suggest any improvements?
They look easy enough to open, but rabbit housing needs solid sliding bolts and the ability to lock/padlock to keep them safe. And how do you catch the rabbit to take them to the vet for example, if you can't open up the "bedroom" part?

Do you think the size is good for your garden?
No, far too small

How easy do you think the hutch would be to clean?
Difficult, your only access to the bedroom part is that tray - what if you want to pile it higher than that allows?

How much would you spend on this hutch, would you buy it?
It's too small, I wouldn't buy it.

Do you think the hutch is big enough for the rabbit to live in?/ would you keep 1 or 2 rabbits in here?
No. Unfortunately those dimensions look more hamster sized than rabbit!

Do you have any suggestions to improve the security of the hutch?
Needs bolts and padlocks.

Any other modifications you can think of?
Needs to be MUCH larger, at least 60 square foot. At the moment it looks less than 10 square foot. It needs many levels, places to hide, room to jump and down from things, throw toys around, run as well as bounce. The curved and slanted sides make it look smart - but in the triangular part that actually just takes away space that could be used for places for extra levels and places to play.

sorry i dont like being critical but i would only use this design to let my rabbits play in has a hidey house, my hamster has bigger housing. i does look fun to play in though, i just could never shut the door on them for even a minute. again im sorry you must have worked hard on this

I think it is to small, sorry. I don't think it is suitable at all as a permanent home for Buns or pigs. Its possible the animals would also get to hot in this. I like the idea of the pull out tray to clean and I appreciate you have worked hard on it. Maybe if you incorporated a large run to it, with hides and tunnels its possible guinea pigs could live in it but for Rabbits, sadly its a no from me xxx

What do you like about the hutch and why?

It does look very modern.

Do you find the doors easy to open/can you suggest any improvements?
Without seeing it I can't comment

Do you think the size is good for your garden?

No - It's far too small. It would make a nice playhouse for them thought.

How easy do you think the hutch would be to clean?

It would be a nightmare to clean!

How much would you spend on this hutch, would you buy it?

I wouldn't buy it.

Do you think the hutch is big enough for the rabbit to live in?/ would you keep 1 or 2 rabbits in here?
No - bunnies need loads of room.

Do you have any suggestions to improve the security of the hutch?
I would have to see how sturdy it is.

Any other modifications you can think of?

Much bigger, more boxy shape so it's easier to clean. Maybe it could be a hideaway with a large run attached? I don't like the idea of all the acrylic - I would think it would be too hot in summer and a nightmare to keep clean.